User:StrategicLee/sandbox
Astrocast
[edit]Astrocast is a Swiss company, based in Chavannes-Près-Renens Switzerland in the Satellite IoT (SatIoT) industry operating a nanosatellite constellation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The Astrocast SatIoT Service uses bidirectional, direct-to-orbit, L-Band frequency communications to IoT devices and sensors. Astrocast currently has 5 of the 80 satellites of its service in orbit. Two launches, scheduled in 2021 will bring the constellation to 20 satellites.
History
[edit]Astrocast was founded in 2014 by Fabien Jordan and Federico Belloni, graduates of EPFL, contributors at the Swiss Space Center and developers of the SwissCube-1 CubeSat which is the longest functional nanosatellite in orbit to date. Astrocast developed the Astronode S with Airbus,[1] CEA/LETI, the European Space Agency, and Thuraya. [2]In December of 2018 Astrocast launched its first test satellite onboard the SpaceX mission SSO-A. In April of 2019 Astrocast launched a second test satellite with ISRO's PSLV launch vehicle. In September of 2019 Astrocast announced a $9.2M Series A round[3]. Total Astrocast funding is $30M with $16.8M in investor monies and an additional $14M in awards and grants. In January 2021 Astrocast launched 5 commercial satellites onboard SpaceX's SXRS-3 mission[4] signifying the official launch of its service. Additonal Astrocast partners include Leaf Space, [5]D-Orbit[6], Ksat, Cysec,[7] and Vertical M2M[8]
Technology
[edit]Astronode S - ground communication module with low profile, L-band antenna, low power consumption, and a small form factor. Astrocast constellation of nanosatellites including bi -directionality, low power, 3U satellites capable of propulsion and de-orbiting. Astrocast Customer Web Portal, API integration, 256-bit encryption.
Launches
[edit]- Kiwi Mission 12/4/19 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, via Spaceflight aboard SpaceX Falcon 9
- Hawaii Mission: 4/1/19 at Satish Dhawan Space Center via Spaceflight aboard Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
- Commercial Mission: 1/24/21 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, via Spaceflight aboard SpaceX Falcon [9]9
Awards
[edit]2020 - Top 100 Swiss Startup[11]
- ^ "Astrocast raises $9.2 million, grows target IoT constellation size to 80 satellites". SpaceNews. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Meet Else, the Thuraya-backed smallsat startup that wants to connect things with cubesats". SpaceNews. 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Astrocast raises $9.2 million, grows target IoT constellation size to 80 satellites". SpaceNews. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ Sheetz, Michael (2021-01-24). "SpaceX launches a 'rideshare' mission carrying 143 spacecraft, a record for a single launch". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Astrocast secures dedicated ground network for IoT satellites". Via Satellite. 2019-10-30. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "D-Orbit to launch 10 Astrocast satellites on Vega rocket". SpaceNews. 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "CYSEC to secure Astrocast's global IoT network Startupticker.ch | The Swiss Startup News channel". www.startupticker.ch. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Astrocast, Vertical M2M partner on industrial IoT through nanosatellites". www.telecompaper.com. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "SpaceX launches record-setting cluster of smallsats". SpaceNews. 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Astrocast". PERL (in French). 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Astrocast SA". www.top100startups.swiss. Retrieved 2021-03-24.